Magnetic properties of RNi3Sn2 compounds (R = Y, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy)

The RNi3Sn2 compounds (R = Y, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy) which crystallize with the HoGa2.4Ni2.6 hexagonal structure (space group P6/mmm), were prepared by arc melting and annealed at 870 K. The magnetic properties were studied in fields up to 10 T in the temperature range 2-300 K. In the paramagnetic state, the compounds with magnetic rare earth atoms are Curie-Weiss paramagnets. GdNi3Sn2, TbNi3Sn2 and DyNi3Sn2 order antiferromagnetically at low temperatures and exhibit a metamagnetic transition. In SmNi3Sn2 magnetism is weak, but a magnetic ordering of antiferromagnetic type seems to occur below 5 K